


Quiet in Court (Acceptance)

by blindtaleteller



Series: Platovember Prompts 2020 [3]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Death Fix, Gen, Imprisonment, Lisan - Door 12 - Freeform, Lokiverse - Freeform, Mixology (Lokiverse), Platovember 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:55:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27373054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blindtaleteller/pseuds/blindtaleteller
Summary: Redbird sits through another night court alongside his Loki, Lisan. Though this one is particularly difficult, because of the date; and because of the bodies missing among those they started with. Another year gone by...
Relationships: platonic - Relationship
Series: Platovember Prompts 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1999015
Kudos: 9
Collections: Loki, Platonic Relationships, Prompted Writing





	Quiet in Court (Acceptance)

**Author's Note:**

> This one at least I managed to finish before the end of the day? XD  
> I hope the ending makes up for the rest?

  * IDENTIFY LOCATION: REDBIRD - DIMENSIONAL IDENTIFICATION CONFIMED : HVRA0616-9H-12
  * \---INTER-UNIVERSAL DOORWAY ENTRY POINT H12 : OBSERVATIONAL STATUS - TVA INTERFERENCE : _NOT DETECTED_
  * \----LUA NORTHERN HEMISPHERE : MARE NECTARIS : VISITATION CAUTIONS _REVOKED_ : THE SEAT OF THE SERPENT
  * \------KNOWN DOMESTIC TIME VARIANCE : 7:54 PM US CST



** -=QUIET IN COURT=- **

He hated that chair. Night court was always brief compared to the morning version, but.

Peter still _hated,_ that _damned chair._

Maybe a little more every day. Peter got the joke, he did; but it wasn't funny any more.

Two gilded silver serpents half unwound from the frame of the dark cushy throne, having let go of their own tails just to hang their fangs a good six inches above where it framed his perfect dark head and 'dripped' carved venom down over the plush round of it's headrest. He hadn't gotten the reference, when Loki had made the adjustment; or been able to read the runes, those years ago. Peter Quill hadn't understood a single thing about the imposingly beautiful change of decorations in his throne room back then: or the stiff combination of irritation and pleasure when Keeper clearly had.

Pete had just thought it looked cool; and Loki had smiled taking that seat for the first time in months after ending the war with Thanos and then MASTER both had resulted in finalizing his sentence from the people below. He hadn't gotten it then. Thought the throne had been a blessing compared to the other options, same as Tony. But he got it, now. The reference to old Norse mythos about his punishment, the thin lines in silver and gold that ran with the lines of the Poetic Edda repeated in rune from the thick legs of the pretty monstrosity and wove across shining dark labradorite floors between the benches and seats to the corner of each window where, when they were open and the hour was right, the blue-green-brown marble of the Earth would stare back mockingly at everyone present. Including the King.

Twice the venom held over his head. Twice the pain.

With the words family and trust run through around the serpents necks like banners.

A pretty reminder, he'd said. And Keeper had just folded his hands in front of him, and smirked; and asked when took his seat if he was ready for his first official session of court. Loki had looked right at him under that crown, and smiled and said. " If Peter will join me. " and reminded him where to stand when he'd grinned back like an idiot, and said he was honored, and half bounced on the last step to stand there three steps down and to his right. Gamora had made some noise, a snort; before she and the rest of the guys had settled in the front row on one side. Like she knew. Nebula staring at him, looking back: she definitely knew. Maybe that was why she'd been the first to leave. She didn't like Lo. But in the later years, she'd always known the just from the unjust when she saw it. And she weren't the type to hang around the last for long without doing something about it. So when she couldn't? Yeah.. it made sense Nebula split first.

Four years later, he was still standing in the same spot.

Four years later, he at least had the satisfaction of seeing the change in Strange's face from then to now; when he called him 'Keeper' on this side of the door too, rather than calling him by name. Saw the wince in his posture when he was trying to hide it reading the date. Saw the way he pursed his lips to keep from grinding his teeth. Saw the deadened way he turned his eyes down when the very first supplicant was one offering gifts for the twin son and daughter the King had never seen after their birth outside of the first photograph Loki had only because Pete himself had managed to steal it out of Barton's room that first year while he'd been delivering the reply to their divorce papers and gathering up what little he had left on the planet below. Lili had a couple more now. Not that it helped, seeing his kids only through a few stolen snaps and videos taken at a distance or on the sly when Clint wasn't looking: or they could guilt-trip Thor into talking Laura into letting him bring one or two up. Nah, didn't help at all. Especially today.

It was their birthday again, already. _That was today._

" Peter? " brought him back from the brows-down glare he was giving the marble he'd born on to the perfect, lithe, grace of god enchantment-masked jotun currently looking at him with a slightly amused raise of brow and the small opened gift box waved at him from his painted fingers; making his chains jangle and unintentionally rile Quill's temper all the more under the mask of a bright smile he yanked up realizing what he'd missed. " Sorry, lost in thought for a sec there. " came with a bow he still hadn't worked the country boy out of for the guy who'd given it, before he stepped up and took the gift with another for his friend and the Alliance's King only to step even further aside and set it in the now almost constantly empty seats that were always waiting for the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy in the front row.

Not even one of those seats had been filled in, _what..?_ Two years? _Almost,_ two years.

And Pete missed them, he did. But, they didn't need him; not nearly so much as Lua did.

No, _that_ wasn't entirely true. Quill had made it that way recently; but it was the graceful man thanking his supplicants and petitioners for their thoughtfulness for the gifts that kept coming: who kept listening and held his smile up and tended their problems from protection dispersal to territorial disputes over the agreed Terran mining and scrapping rights in the system, to water issues out on the Maize and more _chained_ to a _stupid poison chair_ on his _kids birthday._ Loki was good at it, and everyone knew he was _more_ than good at it; the same as they knew **_he_** _hated it,_ and couldn't leave. But they _still_ kept coming. Both types; the ones that supported and wanted him to stay there for shitty reasons; and the ones like the last in line with his own kid on his hip and his strawberry blonde wife standing at the very back of the massive throne room giving Pete the warm smile and one handed wave from next to Obfonteri where he stood 'guarding' those massive double doors, who wanted to see him cut loose and thriving again.

" I come bearing gifts. Can wait til the room's cleared, for this one if you want; being I'm the last you've got. "

Most were already leaving just hearing that from Tony. He didn't show often himself by comparison, but when he did t was almost always with a reason: though with Morgan and Pepper in tow, today of all days? Pete did wonder if it was a good thing or bad thing. They'd been down below the last couple of days. It took a few minutes for everyone to clear out. Keeper stayed, of course. He always stayed. And he always tried to take a seat that wasn't his. " Nuh-uh Keeper. How many times man? " was automatic and holding some of his agitation at Strange. " That's Wanda's seat. You don't get ta just plop down where ever. Summon up a stool or perch your ass on the step I don't care; but you don't take up that first row. Your ass ain't worthy. "

" Peter.. "

" Nah, he's right; there's respect in those protocols, right pumpkin? " was Tony asking his little girl where she was hanging off her dad's hip. Kid was smart too, and probably a whole lot of trouble for the future with that big grin before she pointed at Stephen with what looked like a dismembered barbie leg thigh first and said " Bad Keeper!! Bad! " and got Stephen to move before her Dad's kiss had landed on Morgan's cheek. " That's our baby girl. You tell 'im. "

Lili was shaking his head into one hand, and opening and closing the other at the smol attached to Tony before he set her down to start towards the dias, stop and turn around to hold up her dismembered doll appendage to her dad and take the new box in hand from under his arm before turning to a full dash right up and kneeing her way into the space immediately made in Loki's lap for the terror-midget. Pepper was chuckling on her way up to join Tony when the shorty gave Loki her traditional hug-cling of greeting around his middle rather than his legs this time ;and started her still learning words babbling to tell him all about the trip down the day prior and then back home again. Keeper, decided to go through the next days itinerary holos -- a listed image Peter could easily identify by now-- while the Stark-Pottses got closer to Quill himself, watching the kid and the King chatter and play a bit. " How's he doin'? " was Tony at a smiling lean with Pepper's arm around his shoulders. " He say anything to you yet? "

" The same, and no. " wasn't the answer Tony wanted, but it was the answer he had. " No change since Loge shifted stone locations. I'd say if there was. "

" I really wish you guys would explain that to me in full. "

" Can't unless you're coming in Tony; I explained the rules already. It's weird enough having Keeper pretty much insisting on going with _every time_ it's opened as is. "

" Maybe I should then, just for the excuse to boot him out of the equation, literally. Also, get in fewer fights with the doubles and their kids and maybe he'll stop being a prick. "

" That wasn't my fault; jackass attacked me first, and the kid got in the middle. Also. No kicking the wizard. " Peter almost hissed, though he really wished that were an option he could manage without annoying consequences. " Me and him both gotta live with the aftermath, man. "

" Can't tell me you're not tempted... " came out as a song through his smile when Keeper narrowed his green and blue eyes their way through the tint of his holo-display. Peter didn't have to consider the reply. But he did have to consider saying it out loud; even if not for long. Today was a shit day for him to try a staring contest.

" _..my dude;_ if we could get away with it, I would so shoot out the windows behind him and give you the honors of the push. " came through Peter's smile in reciprocation before he waved, checked the direction of the kid's head and flipped Keeper off for a few seconds mouthing _'mind your own business'_ before Pepper's reach from Tony's shoulder got to his upraised hand and pushed it down. " Stop it.. both of you. "

" Aw come on sweety, what's a little planned homicide for the deserving between friends? " got Tony a smack to the back of his shoulder before they all realized Morgan and Lili had gone really quiet, enough that Morgan had heard that and turned to look directly at her father, knuckles in mouth to make Tony fish for a quick excuse. " ..that's uh.. "

" Space pirate code word! " Pete offered with his brows up and the very sudden realization that Loki had joined Pepper in the squinty-eyed stare of doom that was resonating from the mom to Pete's immediate right. Tony picked it right up, thank god. " Yeah, it's space pirate for ...getting him a cake? "

" _Yeah,_ a **_cake._** With small explosives and cyanide frosting. " got Peter a whack of his own and had him pulling another few lines out of his ass. " Which is _also_ space pirate code. **Totally.** " and leaning to ask Tony at a whisper over his shoulder " _..she doesn't know those words yet right? Tell me you haven't been letting her fall asleep on the dictionaries in the library again._ "

" _...I have **no** idea. She's like a knowledge vacuum. Facts and words go in, and we don't see them again until she decides to pull them out and use them._ " the narrowed look from father to daughter? The kind where he was seriously trying to figure out that bit and whether she knew from a distance? Had Pepper trying not to chuckle and Peter screwing his mouth to one side realizing she probably knew both words.

" Shit. " got the box Lili had been holding tossed at his head; which he barely managed to catch as Loki reminded him: " That word, she does know. "

" And whose fault is that? " coming from both Tony and Pepper at the same time made Peter chuckle uncontrollably. More so for the fact that Morgan pointed right at Loki's face and Loki just grinned. A real one too, if brief as he stood up and took Morgan with him. " Time to finally eat.. unless the lot of you already have? " got a shake from Morgan's little head that had him leading them towards the nearest doorway and dial. " Bring that one with us please, Peter. I want to put it in my rooms later myself. The rest can be taken there while we eat. "

~---+---~

  * \------KNOWN DOMESTIC TIME VARIANCE : 12:54 AM US CST



Somehow, He'd known he'd be out there, when Peter hadn't found him in bed.

Then again, that was why he'd checked in the first place.

Didn't surprise him he was in the throne room. Or that the lights were out.

Or that the window shutters were open wide and the last slow motions of that little blue, green, and brown marble was what had his attention curled up on the wide sill with the usual pillows and blanket dragged from his bed to sit there and watch it. Wasn't any less hurtful to see what he was surrounded by. Little scraps of touch-worn paper printed with color in the images of people who didn't care about him any more and hadn't in years. The holo Tony had brought back with him still looping from the older, personally upgraded phone he kept, just because Cooper and Lila had etched their graffiti along the back with Laura and Clint with one of their dad's arrowheads. Put a stop to Pete, seeing the size of the twins. standing up already and holding what was probably hand from their mother each. They were still chubby little wide-eyed blueberry kids, the both of them. And a lot bigger at on their way to five than they should have been if they had been entirely human.

" Hey. " finally came out of Pete's throat on his way to the other end of the sill; and moved the other few photos he had into a small pile nearer the window itself before he sat down. " They got big, huh? "

" They're still small for frost giants. " made Pete smile a crooked smile as his red head tipped against the clear barriers across from him. At least he hadn't been crying this time. There was that. 

Small distractions were best, and he knew he wouldn't get away with playing full ignorant while it was running " Even half frost giants? " made Loki smirk a bit. " ..perhaps not half-bloods, no. "

" You ever wonder if the Jotun'll ever make another visit? " was a good lead away, he thought; reaching to turn the phone so he could get a better look at the holo. It wasn't something he liked to talk about.

With good reason, and Pete knew it. It was still a better subject than the twins though.

" No, I doubt it. You heard what they said, last time. It's likely my mother was discarded after my birth. At the very least, they may use it as an excuse not to come back ever on it's own. " Pete set it down again and settled his back against his side of the sill, aware of two pairs of serpents eyes watching them both; sticking him in the back of his own head with the sharp amber gaze from the top of that stupid chair, dripping venom in the dark.

" Fuck 'em then. " after a few seconds of that made Loki snort a little at the view of stars and planet outside. And then it was quiet. Quiet enough, they could hear the pace and pulse of the Origin itself; not that this was anything new in the Mare. The rush and hum of the shipyard could be heard everywhere, even in the depths of the Fount; like a heartbeat in it's walls: even when it wasn't pumping and cutting and grinding through the next part, soldering and forging and piecing together the next ship one section and it's components at a time.

It wasn't a sound so small in his mind and so lightly settled in his own soul to say he'd simply gotten used to it.

It was a sound he'd accepted, taken in over time; and wound up in deep past his bones to recognize it as the sound of home. Almost as surely as the man who'd built and was chained _to_ it, and that _stupid fucking chair_ fifteen yards back and another yard off the main glimmering floor in these days was. Two hundred and twenty thousand miles from his kids and the farm they were being raised on without him being allowed so much as a word, never mind more than a few stolen pictures and nicked guilted out videos. " I got somethin' I been meaning to ask you for. " popped all quiet-like out of Pete's mouth without really knowing where the courage to ask was even coming from.

" Oh? " the surprise was genuine, if as quiet because well, Loki wasn't wrong when he said " You rarely ask for anything. " and topped it off with " Ask; it isn't likely I will say _no,_ after this long. " when he hesitated.

" Gonna ask you to keep that idea close. " came before the slow, deep and steady breath in against the barrier that came before he just said it. " I want the word on that second snake gone. " was delivered as he crossed his arms under his chest and over what Ravager patches his vest had on display. Pete hadn't really been paying attention to which one he'd grabbed; the extra he'd snagged out of Yondu's things after he'd died, the older one before he finally stopped being stupid and took up his own Captaincy like Stakar had wanted, or the more current with the stripes and bars run through in black thread for the unity they'd managed across the Clans with the last half of the wars in particular honoring their dead.

" Second snake? " had Pete hiking his thumb back at the throne, briefly. " The crossed out skuldalið around it's neck. The word _family._ I want it gone. It don't apply no more. "

" Peter - "

" **_And_** it _bothers_ me. " he cut him off, taking another breath in and tucking his hand back into the crook of his other arm. " Call me selfish, or prideful, or what _ever._ But I _traded_ my old fam for _this one,_ twice over if you get down to it. " And that was when Pete did look at him, from the window; caught Loki looking right back. A little shock. A whole lot of uncertainty he'd heard him right. And a little guilt for the fact he wasn't wrong, and Loki knew it. " I want it gone, Lili. You're ours now, if nothin' else right? And that goes both ways? You and me; Tony, Pepper _and_ Morgan? If that's poison for you too.. _okay._ I get it. I wish it _wasn't,_ but I _do_ get it, if it's spread. I just ...am _so damned tired_ of that thing, and _that word_ hanging over your head like that. Staring _a pair of holes_ in the back of my neck like it knows and needs to recharge on nasty levels of toxic for the next session or some shit. Pry it off. Send it to Barton. God knows _he's_ more deserving a the prick, being one himself. "

Just a few more seconds, unreadable by large measures waiting for a punchline that wasn't coming; but definitely considering when he realized it really actually wasn't: before Loki pushed his temple back against the glass and looked back out the window on a small, quiet, and odd little huff of breath before he said almost flat: " I'll consider it. "

" I hope so man, cause it's been four years, y'know? Almost feels like we haven't been accepted sometimes, looking at that thing. " The Earth was almost out of view of the window. From the throne anyways. Not so much with their faces leaned up against opposite ends of it as he tacked on. " And.. I'd really prefer some part a us was looking forward, instead a back all the time. We earned that much at least. "

~---+---~

  * \------KNOWN DOMESTIC TIME VARIANCE : 8:06 AM US CST



Morning court was _not_ Pete's thing, as was. But especially after the exhausting day the twins' birthday had been all around, and the fact he had only dozed off to real sleep around four in the morning after a brief dozing in the window sill at stupid hours after his conversation with Loki in the dead of night. Said King had shook him awake and walked Pete in his half-zombie state to his own rooms in the Fount, peeled his boots and vest off for him and half toppled Pete into his waiting bed for the proper passing out; only to have him woke up by Pepper banging on his door when the chime hadn't gotten him up. Not that it ever did. The others knew it too.

He was late when those double doors came into view, and confused when he checked the time seeing everyone but Keeper and Loki himself still standing outside. " ..well I'm not sure if that's a good sign or a bad one. " from Tony as he turned in from a side hall Peter had honestly forgotten existed for a few seconds trying to figure out what the hell they were still doing outside and not seated or standing in, at more than five minutes past court starting when Keeper usually opened the doors twenty minutes early just so folks could get situated and they could start on time. A sudden pull at the hair from the back of his head yanked at his scalp and his attention. " Dude! "

" Just keep your pace, you big ginger baby.. " Tony huffed as he shifted behind him, a little more careful as they approached the doors. " ..you've got a knot the size of a rats nest back here. You even bother with a comb or anything before hopping to the door? "

" ..No. I got shit for sleep and got woke up early. You know I don't do morning court til like ten. "

" Yeah.. me either." grumbled from Tony as one door was cracked open to let them through ahead of the rest had Pete running a hand along the back of his head to make sure he hadn't tied it into some weird knot or something. Seemed fine, though the weird look they were instantly getting from Keeper up at the dais was slightly off. " If this is about some of _my_ kids again? " Peter started on their way to the throne. " ..I swear I know jack shit; but I'll headslap or reward them appropriately once you tell me the basic five. "

" Basic five? " at a lean from Tony as Keeper's eyes narrowed at them and Loki just sort of sat back in his seat got an immediate answer " ..who, what, when, where and why. " and had Tony nodding in an 'ohhh' way on his tilt back to a normalish posture with his hands in his pockets, tipping up briefly on the balls of his feet while they waited to hear what kind of crazy they were dealing with today. " Somebody drunk-drive another M-class into the moors? "

" No.. " with a smirk from Loki.

" Yeah, I woulda noticed that one. " from Tony and he offered. "Residential having grav issues? Maybe you need the kid to help get folks out while I tinker..? "

" ... _No_. " and he tipped his head back against the seat. Stupid snakes were still there. _Both of them. Not, looking.  
_

" O _kay._ Oh.. _wait._ **Please,** tell me you're _not_ considering making us go through that whole _'external security rework'_ bullshit Keeper requested last week.. " had Tony's eyes bugging out just at the mention of the huge amount of unnecessary work that would entail, and Keeper sighing almost instantly.

" **No.** " sounded a little exasperated, before Loki flicked his fingers at Keeper, shooing him towards the massive double doors again. " Have them open the doors. I _presume_ they will figure it out somewhere between now and twelve. "

" _Huh..?_ " at a pitch from Tony was as comprehensive a guess as Pete could have made in the early morning with as little sleep as he'd had. And " ..your places please. " was no help.

Tony was giving him a questioning look as the crowd started to filter in; for which Peter had absolutely no answer or idea where to begin. He only had a few minutes to ask if he was going to, too. Quill tucked the length of his hair braids and otherwise back behind one shoulder with the intention to do just that when Tony asked him over his shoulder in hushed tones. " Weren't those things _different_ yesterday? " and got Pete's green eyes from the turn they'd making towards their Trickster, only to have Tony hold a hand up pointing at Loki anyway. Or rather " _..the snakes?_ I coulda sworn they were both doing that hissing and drooling thing? "

Peter's head crashed through the conversation the night before almost as fast as his head whipped that way, eyes wide with disbelief even before he focused on the top of that _stupid_ chair.

Fangs, venom, pointed down at his head still: _yeah._ But and here was the important part; _here was the part_ that made his smile break out wide and bright and absolutely pleased with the answer: because..

There was only one set, of fangs hanging over Loki's head.

The other serpent, closest to the two of them had it's head turned back to it's tail, the tip between it's teeth; amber eye mostly closed, as if content. No venom. And runes; much smaller, but still readable from their place on the dais steps. People were already talking about it in a grumbling risen clamor of murmurs and pitch of raised brows in different places in the room, though there weren't many who seemed able to actually read it. His smile softened catching the small, sideways glance Loki gave them over his knuckles where he had leaned into them towards them both; and the smaller yet smirk of satisfaction. " _..okay, **spill** space pirate._ " from Tony who, picking up on the suddenly very good mood up at their level was smiling almost as wide as Peter himself. " _**No way** you're keeping me out for long. Not with **that** dopey grin. What's it say?_ "

" It's your _name_ man. " came with a little hop to his own heels, just as quiet but five times as pleased " And _mine, and_ Pepper's, _and Morgan's._ " making Tony settle down on his own. " _Right_ , where it _used to have_ the word for family, _crossed out._ " Making him take a good long look and longer breath as the smile spread wide enough on Stark's face to catch sight of **_all of_** Tony's laugh lines, _and_ both dimples through his beard.

When the court was quieting down, and the last few moments before the first docket was brought up was closing in; Loki motioned them over. The both of them leaned in, an ear turned the King's way. he only said a few whispered words before shooing them back to their places, and court was called to order with the first supplicant; a tenant.

The same and looking over; Pete saw he wasn't the only one with a smile still stuck on his face that was likely to last past the next four hours of complaints and disputes and stupid cultural clashes and just plain whiny bitch syndrome that Lili had to smile and nod through before fixing it all. He wasn't likely to forget this particular session of court any time in the next lifetime, or those _'threatening'_ words.

_" If **either** of you ever doubt you are accepted otherwise from **here;** never you mind the fangs left remaining on my **throne:** I'll bite you **myself.** "_


End file.
